Jaguars are no likely destination for Brandon Aiyuk but must monitor his situation

One of the biggest storylines of the offseason was whether the San Francisco 49ers will trade All-Pro receiver Brandon Aiyuk. The 2020 first-round pick is entering the last year of his rookie deal and has made it clear that he won't suit up for the Niners in 2023 unless he gets a new deal. That's led to trade speculation. In fact, the Jacksonville Jaguars showed early interest in trading for him, but it now looks like they could be facing him in 2024.

The Brandon Aiyuk saga has taken several turns the past few days. It's gone from, "The 49ers won't trade him," to "They've made him an offer and the ball is on his court". More recently, San Francisco reportedly has a deal in place with both the Cleveland Browns and the New England Patriots, and the former Arizona State Sun Devil can choose whichever he pleases.

But wait! There's more. After it was reported New England and the Browns were potential landing spots for Aiyuk, the 49ers are seemingly letting him make a deal with whichever club he pleases. That could suddenly turn the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Washington Commanders into realistic destinations for the Reno, Nevada native when you take into account that they were two of his preferred landing spots. But what about the Jaguars?

Before the draft, Jacksonville inquired about Aiyuk, who seemed like an ideal replacement and even an upgrade over Calvin Ridley, who bolted for the Tennessee Titans in free agency.

The Niners reportedly wanted a first-round pick and Zay Jones in exchange for Aiyuk. That seemed like a steep asking price when you factor in that the Jags would've also had to give him a top-market contract. Not surprisingly, their interest faded, and they turned to the draft for receiver help, selecting Brian Thomas Jr. first overall.

Aiyuk's situation has yet to be resolved since the Jaguars asked about him. The Niners first expected him to play for them no matter what but they have progressively softened their stance. From his end, it's easy to see why he thinks he's been severely underpaid.

Even though San Francisco is stacked with offensive talent such as Christian McCaffrey, tight end George Kittle, and wide receiver Deebo Samuel, Aiyuk led the team in but catches (75) and receiving yards (1,342) in 2023. On top of that, he was named Second-Team All-Pro. Yet, he's set to play on the fifth-year option of his rookie deal and make just $14.1 million next season.

It's fair to say that he would've been a great addition albeit expensive in Jacksonville early in the offseason but he would now be an unnecessary luxury. Already, the team's brass drafted Brian Thomas Jr. 23rd overall and also signed Gabe Davis. They'll join Christian Kirk, one of the best slot receivers in the NFL.

By trading for Aiyuk, as talented as he is, the Jaguars would have a case of "too many cooks in the kitchen," which is why they're not a realistic trading destination even after he was given carte blanche.

The Jaguars won't want Brandon Aiyuk to land with the Patriots or Browns

The Jacksonville Jaguars are scheduled to face the Cleveland Browns and the New England Patriots in Weeks 3 and 7, respectively. Both matchups look winnable but they would immediately become more challenging if Brandon Aiyuk lands with either club.

The Browns expect Deshaun Watson to finally play like he did for the Houston Texans early in his career after trading for him two years ago. They already have a stout defense and a pretty good WR1 in Amari Cooper but having Aiyuk around would help them turn things up a notch.

On the other hand, the Patriots are undergoing a rebuild, having moved on from Bill Belichick and promoting Jared Mayo to replace him. They may need a year or two before they have a legitimate chance to contend but adding someone of Aiyuk's caliber would accelerate the process.

If Aiyuk were to play for the Steelers or Washington, though, the Jaguars would not have to play against him in 2024. For his part, he'll go to a team that is willing to give him the contract he wants, so him landing with the Commanders or the Steelers would be the best possible outcome.

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